Democratic means run by the people through the votes they cast. A democratic country, democratic elections, democratically elected.
Elections alone are not enough, which is why the word is claimed by states nobody would call democratic — courts, a free press and the losing side accepting the result matter as much as the voting. The Greek behind it means rule by the people.
1adjectivedemocraticRun by the people through the votes they cast.
“After years of military rule, the country held its first democratic elections.”
democratic is a form of government.
Greek demokratia is demos, the people, plus kratos, power or rule.
Ancient Greek
δημοκρᾰτῐκός
Latin
democraticus
Middle French
democratique
English, today
democratic
Built from
Borrowed from Middle French democratique, from Latin democraticus, from Ancient Greek δημοκρᾰτῐκός. From Middle French democratique (“pertaining to democracy, democratic”) (modern French démocratique), and its etymon Latin democraticus (“pertaining to democracy, democratic; democrat”), from Ancient Greek δημοκρᾰτῐκός (“of or for democracy; favouring or suited for democracy”), from δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (“democracy”) + -ῐκός. Δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ is derived from δῆμος (“the common people; free citizens, sovereign people; popular assembly; popular government, democracy”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European deh₂- (“to divide; to share”)) + -κρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (from κρᾰ́τος (“might, strength; dominion, power”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kret- (“insight, intelligence; strength”)) + -ῐ́ᾱ). by surface analysis, demo- + -cratic or democrat + -ic.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA